A complete change

choudhrysaab

Just wondering who here has gone through a complete change of heart and used to shoot with one particular brand (say Nikon) for a long time but then all of a sudden switched to another brand (Canon, Sony, Pantex etc.). Sold all the old stuff and bought everything from scratch to work with the new brand.

Is it possible or am I thinking foolishly?

If it is possible then how has the experience been so far with the new brand and what was the reason for switching?

David-Stallard

Funny you should ask. . . . .

I have used Sony for the last three years (my first DSLR) went from a350 > a700 > a900 several of the top bits of glass and flash units.

Last few months I have been checking out both Canon an Nikon as I felt that the 900 just wasn't quite giving me the control I needed for motorsport, then on Tuesday I happened to chat to a guy who went through all this a while ago, he still uses the a900 but only for landscape / people shots - for all his sport work he uses a Canon.

I took a stroll down to Oxford Street at lunchtime, my mind finally made up and walked back with a full replacement set up - Canon 7D / 100-400 / 24-105 / Tamron 90mm / 580 flash / spare batteries. have all my Sony kit up for sale at this moment. Mad, probably BUT for what I need I had to be realistic and Sony aren't moving forwards and don't have the outlets / supplies or glass lineup for what 'I' need.

The hardest part for me is the change in menu systems, the Sony was simple and logical whereas the Canon is a nightmare - menu in a menu in a menu . . . . but I have read everything I can find, talked to friends and played around with all the settings and I am slowly sussing it out.

Do I regret the move. . . . . . NO is the simple answer, I will miss the Sony and it's familiar feel but I'm looking forward to the next step.

.DAVID.

ThatCanonGuy

Yes, I did, from Pentax to Canon. I'm very glad I did. My old Pentax was my first DSLR, and honestly, it was sub-Rebel territory. I remember trying to shoot sports with 3fps, and the buffer would fill after 5 jpg images I saw a good price on a Canon 1DII and grabbed it. I had somewhat of an investment in the Pentax system, but I sold it as a kit. (Lesson: selling separately usually ends up fetching more money, in the end, than a bundle will). That was around 2 years ago, and the 1DII is still going strong for me today. I wouldn't change to a brand other than Canon or Nikon, as they have more complete systems. However, if I had all the Canon gear I wanted (impossible, right?) then I'd probably get a Pentax system too, just for fun. And Nikon, and maybe other brands.

I see no reason to switch from Canon. Canon and Nikon have the more complete system, and for me, Canon is better (because they have a 70-200 f4, they have excellent older bodies that are cheap). They'll always leapfrog one another. Canon feels comfortable in my hand, and that's the thing I think matters most.

You're not thinking foolishly. What brand were you considering switching to? What do they offer for you that Canon doesn't?

Matthew Saville

David-Stallard wrote: »

Funny you should ask. . . . .

I have used Sony for the last three years (my first DSLR) went from a350 > a700 > a900 several of the top bits of glass and flash units.

Last few months I have been checking out both Canon an Nikon as I felt that the 900 just wasn't quite giving me the control I needed for motorsport, then on Tuesday I happened to chat to a guy who went through all this a while ago, he still uses the a900 but only for landscape / people shots - for all his sport work he uses a Canon.

I took a stroll down to Oxford Street at lunchtime, my mind finally made up and walked back with a full replacement set up - Canon 7D / 100-400 / 24-105 / Tamron 90mm / 580 flash / spare batteries. have all my Sony kit up for sale at this moment. Mad, probably BUT for what I need I had to be realistic and Sony aren't moving forwards and don't have the outlets / supplies or glass lineup for what 'I' need.

The hardest part for me is the change in menu systems, the Sony was simple and logical whereas the Canon is a nightmare - menu in a menu in a menu . . . . but I have read everything I can find, talked to friends and played around with all the settings and I am slowly sussing it out.

Do I regret the move. . . . . . NO is the simple answer, I will miss the Sony and it's familiar feel but I'm looking forward to the next step.

.DAVID.

Hey David! Glad to hear you're switching to one of the more "manly" systems, lol! :-P

=Matt=

basflt

i did not switch
i just added a Canon to my Nikon collection
there is no reason to stick to one brand and sell the rest

angevin1

basflt wrote: »

i did not switch
i just added a Canon to my Nikon collection
there is no reason to stick to one brand and sell the rest

Agreed! I used both Nikon and Canon: D700/5Dmk2 for well over a year before deciding that based on direction, the Nikon was not needed. But really, it is about tools for a job. You could easily buy a View camera and do Landscapes on film as well as have any number of different cameras due to what they can do.

I liked using and learning different menu systems. It helps keep us focused and learning, which of course does help keep us sharp brain-wise.

borrowlenses.com

People switch all the time, and it is actually much easier than most people think. There is an insatiable market out there for well taken care of equipment, so offloading your gear is not a problem at all. Getting used to the new system takes some time of course.

Richard

Using several different brands simultaneously has its drawbacks, especially if you're shooting time critical stuff. While you can get used to almost anything, knowing the control structure so well that you don't have to think about it is more difficult when using various brands. Will positive exposure compensation increase or decrease the length of exposure? Last time I looked, Canon and Nikon had opposite views, though I imagine there's been some sort of menu-driven truce by now. Dunno. Of course, if you're shooting mountains, then with a little practice it won't bother you that the image in the field camera is upside down. I wouldn't want to shoot sports like that, though. . Small differences can be really irritating. But changing systems altogether is just a matter of a little time to get used to the new conventions.

David-Stallard

Thanks Matt - knew I could rely on you for a 'sensible' answer

I WILL miss the full frame a900 especially when doing landscape / macro work - have several prints over 60" wide - but I need to be realistic, I mainly shoot motorsport and the 7D is perfect for that. Also, as I found out last month - if I'm away at a race circuit and something happens to any of the kit I can jump in the car and drive to the nearest camera outlet and they will have a replacement, Sony stockist's in the UK are getting few and far between.

Going out tomorrow to try and get my head around the 7D, as mentioned above, the hardest part is getting to know the new menu system and lot's and lot's of practice - got a week until my next race, that's enough time surely lol

.DAVID.

choudhrysaab

David-Stallard wrote: »

Funny you should ask. . . . .

I have used Sony for the last three years (my first DSLR) went from a350 > a700 > a900 several of the top bits of glass and flash units.

Last few months I have been checking out both Canon an Nikon as I felt that the 900 just wasn't quite giving me the control I needed for motorsport, then on Tuesday I happened to chat to a guy who went through all this a while ago, he still uses the a900 but only for landscape / people shots - for all his sport work he uses a Canon.

I took a stroll down to Oxford Street at lunchtime, my mind finally made up and walked back with a full replacement set up - Canon 7D / 100-400 / 24-105 / Tamron 90mm / 580 flash / spare batteries. have all my Sony kit up for sale at this moment. Mad, probably BUT for what I need I had to be realistic and Sony aren't moving forwards and don't have the outlets / supplies or glass lineup for what 'I' need.

The hardest part for me is the change in menu systems, the Sony was simple and logical whereas the Canon is a nightmare - menu in a menu in a menu . . . . but I have read everything I can find, talked to friends and played around with all the settings and I am slowly sussing it out.

Do I regret the move. . . . . . NO is the simple answer, I will miss the Sony and it's familiar feel but I'm looking forward to the next step.

.DAVID.

That makes sense if you're not getting what you really need out of a camera or brand to move to another which has all the capabilities to get your job done. Good luck with your new equipment.

choudhrysaab

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

Yes, I did, from Pentax to Canon. I'm very glad I did. My old Pentax was my first DSLR, and honestly, it was sub-Rebel territory. I remember trying to shoot sports with 3fps, and the buffer would fill after 5 jpg images I saw a good price on a Canon 1DII and grabbed it. I had somewhat of an investment in the Pentax system, but I sold it as a kit. (Lesson: selling separately usually ends up fetching more money, in the end, than a bundle will). That was around 2 years ago, and the 1DII is still going strong for me today. I wouldn't change to a brand other than Canon or Nikon, as they have more complete systems. However, if I had all the Canon gear I wanted (impossible, right?) then I'd probably get a Pentax system too, just for fun. And Nikon, and maybe other brands.

I see no reason to switch from Canon. Canon and Nikon have the more complete system, and for me, Canon is better (because they have a 70-200 f4, they have excellent older bodies that are cheap). They'll always leapfrog one another. Canon feels comfortable in my hand, and that's the thing I think matters most.

You're not thinking foolishly. What brand were you considering switching to? What do they offer for you that Canon doesn't?

that was a big jump on your end to go from a sub-Rebel territory to Pro equipment.

I'm thinking of selling my current equipment as separate items to see if I can get a bit more money in return to get the new camera/lens but I'm sticking to Canon. I'm not gonna switch to any other brand but now that I'm thinking of selling my stuff, I was wondering if anyone has ever made a switch from Canon to Nikon or Nikon to Canon. I personally think once you go with either of these two brands, you stay with them "Till Death".

choudhrysaab

Matthew Saville wrote: »

Hey David! Glad to hear you're switching to one of the more "manly" systems, lol! :-P

=Matt=

lol - Matt lets not get this thread become a brand war

choudhrysaab

Richard wrote: »

Using several different brands simultaneously has its drawbacks, especially if you're shooting time critical stuff. While you can get used to almost anything, knowing the control structure so well that you don't have to think about it is more difficult when using various brands. Will positive exposure compensation increase or decrease the length of exposure? Last time I looked, Canon and Nikon had opposite views, though I imagine there's been some sort of menu-driven truce by now. Dunno. Of course, if you're shooting mountains, then with a little practice it won't bother you that the image in the field camera is upside down. I wouldn't want to shoot sports like that, though. . Small differences can be really irritating. But changing systems altogether is just a matter of a little time to get used to the new conventions.

I can imagine the headache it would cause me if I had to learn about another brand from scratch. I mean I haven't even learned everything about my Canon 40D yet :$

choudhrysaab

it'd be nice to hear from someone who actually went from Nikon to Canon or Canon to Nikon.

paddler4

I have a cousin, a pro who was a Nikon film user for years, who switched to Canon several years ago because she finds the controls on the Canon DSLRs more intuitive and easier to use. For amateurs like me, however I don't think it makes enough difference to be worth the time and bother. Either system is good enough that the limiting factor in the quality of my images lies about 10 CM behind the viewfinder.

choudhrysaab

so from the looks of it Canon has converted quite a few out there

NeilL

choudhrysaab wrote: »

so from the looks of it Canon has converted quite a few out there

Nikon's latest top enders have a huge and solid following, and those people are not fools, that gear is awsome! I think it's excellent to have a few players in the field, they all might not be quite as big or comprehensive as the big guys, but they do offer options, and push the tech for everyone. Olympus is a good example of that. As I've said before, Canon and Nikon will also go into gear which is more specialised, while the other brands will stay more consumer-prosumer (though Pentax is an exception with its penetration into MF). What a photographer uses is up to them, one line or mix and match, and it's a good thing I think that there is such a richness of choice.

Neil

choudhrysaab

well as I mentioned that I was thinking of selling my current gear (Canon) and thinking of getting new gear but last night it crossed my mind that why not give Nikon a try.

so that was the reason why I posted this thread to see if its possible for such a drastic change to happen.

Pupator

I switched from years with Sony to Nikon when the D7000 came out. It was a hassle from a learning curve standpoint, and also having to rebuild a collection of lenses. But in the end it was worth it. The D7000 is superior to anything Sony makes and I'm really pleased with the glass as well.

ThatCanonGuy

choudhrysaab wrote: »

that was a big jump on your end to go from a sub-Rebel territory to Pro equipment.

I'm thinking of selling my current equipment as separate items to see if I can get a bit more money in return to get the new camera/lens but I'm sticking to Canon. I'm not gonna switch to any other brand but now that I'm thinking of selling my stuff, I was wondering if anyone has ever made a switch from Canon to Nikon or Nikon to Canon. I personally think once you go with either of these two brands, you stay with them "Till Death".

Yeah, I knew what I wanted. Speed. I got it. Getting my L really made a difference too.

Lots of pros switch between Nikon/Canon all the time. Back in 04, in the 1DII's day, sidelines were a sea of white lenses. Most of them probably with 1DIIs. Then in 07, the Mark III had problems with AF just as Nikon released the D3, which had amazing low-light performance. A huge number of pros switched. It seems like lots of pros prefer to get the latest and greatest from the other brand, rather than waiting 6 months for their brand to release something better.

It's amazing... so many people will sell their huge systems worth tens of thousands of $$$ to switch. All the supertelephotos... yeah, it happens quite a bit

Helvegr

I'm seriously switching to Nikon maybe by end of year. For me when I first got into using a DSLR, I didn't know what I wanted in a camera. I didn't know what I would like and what I wouldn't. No matter the brand, they were all foreign to me. But now that I've been exposed to a lot more, found out what I like, and really tried to determine what I wanted in a camera, I've found that Nikon seems to appeal to me simple from a form factor and design methodology.

So I may very well sell all my gear and turn over a new leaf, but it will probably be the first time doing so well informed.

Art Scott

choudhrysaab wrote: »

Just wondering who here has gone through a complete change of heart and used to shoot with one particular brand (say Nikon) for a long time but then all of a sudden switched to another brand (Canon, Sony, Pantex etc.). Sold all the old stuff and bought everything from scratch to work with the new brand.

Is it possible or am I thinking foolishly?

If it is possible then how has the experience been so far with the new brand and what was the reason for switching?

.........over the years I have shot with nearly every brand of 35mm slr / dslr camera, except canon...I have never owned a canon nor borrowed one........I say nearly all brands...Miranda, Fujica, Minolta, Nikon, Yashica, Voightlander, Pentax,.......and Medium format....Bronica, Pentax, Mamiya, Kiev.....so I have changed a few times......funny thing was on the 35MM and digital.....I always kept shooting Sigma Lens until this incarnation of Nikon's......but since Nikon has not seen fit to add close focus abilities to such lenses as the 24-70, 18-70 or 70-200.....I am getting ready to move back to Sigma....Sigma has been the one constant in my 30+ years of Photography.

Matthew Saville

choudhrysaab wrote: »

I can imagine the headache it would cause me if I had to learn about another brand from scratch. I mean I haven't even learned everything about my Canon 40D yet :$

choudhrysaab wrote: »

it'd be nice to hear from someone who actually went from Nikon to Canon or Canon to Nikon.

choudhrysaab wrote: »

so from the looks of it Canon has converted quite a few out there

Personally, I have spent the last few years shooting extensively with both systems. I own Nikon cameras, but have also used every Canon body since the 1Ds / 10D. I shoot weddings full-time for a living, and have shot entire weddings with the 5D, 5D mk2, and 7D.

I also post-produce at least 10,000 images per week for the studio I'm a member of, both Canon and Nikon RAW files.

So, with that in mind, I would like to respond-

Yes, it's a bit of a headache to juggle two systems, especially when shooting side by side in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. I do find advantages and disadvantages in both systems. For me, the advantages of Nikon's system keep me buying Nikon. Plain and simple. Canon's got plenty of advantages, but for what I do I prefer the system I own.

Currently, I see many people switching in both directions. Of course for my line of work I believe Nikon is a better choice, however at the same time I always encourage Canon users to try out a used 1Ds mk3 before they get fed up with their 5D mk2 and jump ship. You can get a used 1Ds mk3 for as little as $3K these days, and / or a used 1D mk3 for as little as $2K which is an absolute steal.

My advice: I think it's actually a VERY good idea to get to know BOTH systems. I can't imagine being as invested as I am in the Nikon system, without having also used Canon as much as I have. And on the opposite side, I often find it very difficult to take advice from someone who hasn't even touched a system other than theirs. (Just speaking generally, not towards anyone in particular....) ;-)


=Matt=


=Matt=

Brett1000

Zack Arias, the "one light" guy with all the videos just recently switched to Canon -
http://zackarias.com/for-photographers/gear-gadgets/headline-i-switched-to-canon-world-still-turns/#more-2583

jdfaith

I went from Pentax to Nikon. Once the learning curve is navigated (not too long), the benefits were really appreciable and I haven't looked back. It was an awkward first six months or so.

NeilL

Brett1000 wrote: »

Zack Arias, the "one light" guy with all the videos just recently switched to Canon -
http://zackarias.com/for-photographers/gear-gadgets/headline-i-switched-to-canon-world-still-turns/#more-2583

Thanks Brett!

What did he actually do eventually with the 24-70(s)?? It got a bit confused at that point!

Neil

20DNoob

Lol, I've bought from someone local who has done the Canon/Nikon dance probably about eight times in the past four and a half/five years.

Mind you I'm not talking about entry level or the next line up, but top end bodies and super-teles and it's just a hobby for him.

ThatCanonGuy

20DNoob wrote: »

Lol, I've bought from someone local who has done the Canon/Nikon dance probably about eight times in the past four and a half/five years.

Mind you I'm not talking about entry level or the next line up, but top end bodies and super-teles and it's just a hobby for him.

For the money it costs to do that that many times, he probably could've owned both systems by now!

choudhrysaab

The ones who have played with both Canon and Nikon - have you noticed if one is better than other in a particular aspect of photography - e.g. portrait shots are better with Nikon and landscape shots are better with Canon - or vice versa?

NeilL

choudhrysaab wrote: »

The ones who have played with both Canon and Nikon - have you noticed if one is better than other in a particular aspect of photography - e.g. portrait shots are better with Nikon and landscape shots are better with Canon - or vice versa?

I have noticed that "artistic" photographers are more likely to use Nikon and Mac.

Neil

choudhrysaab

NeilL wrote: »

I have noticed that "artistic" photographers are more likely to use Nikon and Mac.

Neil

hahaha - good attempt at trying to "stick it to" the Canon guys/gals.